ORANGE’S Judy Tarleton described her first Australian Masters Athletics Championships as an “eye-opener”.

Tarleton represented NSW at the national event over the Easter weekend in Perth.

This was her first time at the Australian competition having already participated in the World Masters Games previously.

The 60-year-old said the Australian event was very different for the World Games.

“The World Masters Games had a lot of different abilities and was really a celebration of sport,” Tarleton said.

“At the Australian Masters everyone who was there was a serious competitor and they were there to compete.”

Tarleton contested four events with her best result being fourth in the women’s 60 years 800m.

She was also sixth in the 1500m, the first time she had run this distance on a track, sixth in the 5000m and seventh in the 8000m.

Tarleton is more familiar with distance running but said she might try and do some more track events.

Does she plan to compete at the Australian Masters in 2011?

“You might see me there again,” she said.